All You Need To Know Before Buying A 3D Printer

Are you contemplating buying a 3D printer for yourself? There are lots of great 3D printers out there for small or large scale delivery depending on your choice. An example of a great 3D printer is the BCN3D Epsilon. The BCN3D Epsilon is a powerful professional 3D printer, designed to deliver large-scale parts. 

There are plenty of 3D printers in the market currently, and they all come with their unique specifications. For you to be able to determine the 3D printer you desire, there are some technicalities about 3D printing you have to understand. It will help determine what kind of 3D printer you are buying. Here is a list of things you need to know before buying a 3D printer.

The Types of 3D Printers: There are varieties of 3D printers. So, you must know what type of printer you need before you get a 3D printer.  Most popular 3D printers available in the market make use of the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). 

The model is produced by heating and extruding plastic placed together layer by layer. The FDM is widely popular, readily available, and less expensive.

Price: Before getting a 3D printer, you will have to check for the cost of the printer you want. The cost of a 3D printer depends mainly on the quality of its output. Generally, the cost of the most quality ones goes for $1000 and above, and professional 3D printers tend to go for $2000 and above. 

If you are starting with the 3D world, you should kick off with simple models with prices as low as $100. You have to know that these printers do not come with the materials you will need for 3D printing. 

Materials for 3D Printing: There are two materials needed for 3D printing. The PolyLactic Acid(PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) are the materials required for 3D printing. These materials are thermoplastics that become soft and malleable when heated and harden when cooled. 

You also need to know what kind of material is suitable for your finished product. It will help you determine the best type of printer to purchase. Note that not all printers make use of both materials; some make use of one.

The Quality of the 3D Printer: Two things are essential to determining the quality of a 3D Printer; print resolution and print speed. The print resolution is the level of the details the printer can capture, while the print speed is how fast the printer can move its extruder.

STL File: The Stereolithography is the standard file format used to print your 3D model into a physical object. The STL file has the information required to create a  3D model.

You can always check up the 3D printer you want to buy online and check for their competition. You can also check for the community of people using the product to ensure that your investment is worth it. Always remember that the quality of the output is one of the best means to determine an excellent 3D printer. 

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.